NBA free agency is moving fast, and the Clippers are in danger of getting left behind.
Around the league, teams are already making moves that feel useful right away. The Detroit Pistons landed John Collins, the Boston Celtics stole Mitchell Robinson, and the Houston Rockets, at least on paper, may have done the best of the bunch with Marcus Smart.
The Clippers, meanwhile, have mostly stood still. Keeping Kobe Sanders was a positive, but patience appears to be the plan in LA, and that approach could leave the front office picking through what’s left.
That’s the risk for a team still trying to stay in the playoff picture after trading its franchise superstar. Sitting back while other teams improve is a dangerous way to spend the summer, especially when there are still ways for the Clippers to make themselves better.
Lawrence Frank can still create room through trade, and the Clippers also have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, worth a few thousand over $15 million. That gives them real flexibility, but only if they use it with purpose.
One name that fits what LA needs is Tari Eason.
Eason took a hit financially after a string of rough shooting nights last season, but he’s only 25 and has the kind of defensive upside that could change the Clippers’ frontcourt. He also lines up neatly with a roster need that’s hard to ignore after losing John Collins: the starting power forward spot is open.
Eason’s size and versatility make him a natural option there. At 6'8", he has the profile of a multi-skilled big man who could step into that role and help right away.
Another possible fit is Rui Hachimura. He just came off a short playoff run in which he averaged 17.5 points while shooting 54.9% from the field and 56.9% from three over 10 games.
Hachimura looks like a player who will end up elsewhere, especially since the Los Angeles Lakers have essentially used all of their money. That leaves the Clippers with one clear job: make it them if they can.
Whatever direction they take, the frontcourt has to be addressed. The Clippers need a real addition, and they need to move before the best remaining options are gone.
In Other News...
Kawhi Leonard Trade Suddenly Feels Tied To Something Much Bigger
Kawhi Leonards path to the Clippers still casts a long shadow, and now the old trade with the Toronto Raptors is sitting in the middle of a much larger conversation. What once looked like a franchise-altering deal has become part of an ongoing investigation involving Steve Ballmer and allegations of salary-cap circumvention tied to Leonards contract, which has only sharpened the scrutiny around how that relationship was built in the first place.
The Raptors are connected to the story in a way that makes this feel even more tangled, because the trade did not happen in a vacuum. Larry Tanenbaums presence near the top of the leagues power structure gives this matter an added layer of intrigue, and the possibility that the original Leonard deal could be viewed through the lens of a broader quid pro quo is exactly why it keeps drawing attention. For the Clippers, this is no longer just about a past trade, but about what else the league might decide was part of it. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Fans Are Going To Hate This New 2028 Pick Twist
The latest Jaylen Brown trade ripple has a very Clippers-specific wrinkle buried inside all the Boston-Philadelphia pick shuffling. Along with the Celtics landing a 2031 unprotected first-rounder and a package of second-rounders from the Sixers, one of the 2028 first-round picks in the deal is built like a puzzle, with the final result depending on where the Clippers and Sixers land in the draft order.
For Los Angeles, the annoyance is in the fine print. Depending on those 2028 pick positions, the selection can flip between different outcomes and potentially turn into a swap situation rather than a straightforward pick. The league still has to sign off on the full structure, but the broad outlines already make clear that the Clippers are tied into one of the more complicated draft pick chains in recent memory. [Read more 🡒]
A New Paul George Debate Just Hit Clippers Fans Hard
The latest Paul George debate has a way of landing hard in Los Angeles, where Clippers fans still remember how much of the franchises recent title push was built around him. His name is back in the spotlight after a major three-team style conversation around his value, and the split reaction is familiar: some see the kind of proven wing help contenders chase, while others see a player whose peak is behind him and whose best days now come with more caution attached.
Georges recent numbers only sharpen the discussion, because his production still looks useful without looking like the star-level output that once defined his profile. The real pressure point is the cost, since any deal for him now comes with a massive financial commitment on top of the on-court fit question, and that is exactly the kind of calculation that can make Clippers fans uneasy even when the name recognition is obvious. [Read more 🡒]